The Andhra Pradesh government today appealed to the lawyers in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema to call off their agitation for High Court benches in their regions as the demand is being examined positively.
“The demand for High Court bench is long-pending. Though the State is big, there has been no High Court bench. The demand is justified. The Chief Minister has already said the government will examine the issue. We appeal to them to call off their stir in public interest,” State Law Minister M Venkata Ramana told reporters.
The government needs time to address the issue as State government, High Court, Centre and Supreme Court are involved in the matter, he said.
“This is not the right time for agitation. We will examine the issue at an appropriate time,” he said.
Replying to a query, he said the government cannot give any timeframe for resolving the issue.
“We cannot fix a timeframe. As I said, the issue involves the State government, Centre, High Court and Supreme Court. But, the Chief Minister has already said the government would examine the issue. That itself is like beginning the process,” the Minister said.
Lawyers in coastal Andhra have been demanding setting up a High Court bench near Vijayawada, while their counterparts in Rayalaseema are seeking a bench to be established in Tirupati.
Meanwhile, the lawyers in north-coastal Andhra have raised the demand for setting up a bench in Visakhapatnam.
